Popular Brixton festival, Brixton Splash, has been cancelled this year due to the funding needed to police and clear up such a great event.

The festival has been held on or around 6 August – the Jamaican Independence Day – every year since 2005, when it was founded.

In recent years, the free street event has attracted up to 15,000 people. The Lambeth Council denied the organisers’ request to hold the festival this year, stating that last year, the event resulted in “a large number” of complaints from local Brixton resident.

A council spokesperson commented: “Sadly, last year’s event became a victim of its own success and we need to pause it for this year, let the community take it back to its roots as a safe, fun event for everyone with professional organisation.”

The Brixton Splash founders released a strong-worded statement in response to the cancellation: “On 06/01/16, Lambeth council held a ‘community meeting’ with regards to Brixton Splash. This meeting was held independent of Brixton Splash and without any Brixton Splash representatives present.”

The founders also stated that Lambeth Council did not allow any Board members to attend the 2016 de-brief meeting and that the Council has been telling local businesses that the festival will be hosted by the Council in the future.

The organisers have not been disheartened by the cancellation, however, as they have started a crowd funding campaign in hopes to raise £100,000 to ensure the return of the festival in 2017.

The campaign states: “This year, the local council, Lambeth, have decided to refuse permission for the carnival but say they wish to see it take place in 2017. We want to ensure they do by making sure we have enough funds to start planning for 2017 now. That way we can ensure that we never find ourselves in this position again.”
The fundraising will continue until 18 June, 2016. You can contribute here.